I don't own the good wife, sadly or AP shippers would have never have anything to fear...

Again a huge thank you to my AP family and especially Kiki who is helping me with this project.

Zach

Zach was waiting with Jackie downstairs, fiddling with his own cufflinks while half listening to his grandma who was complaining about having to pick up his mom. Asking why they had ordered two town cars and she wouldn't be ridding with his dad, but Alicia would. Zach almost snorted out loud at that one, didn't she know the democratic candidate couldn't show up with his mother as his date, or on his arm especially when his wife was going too.

He took a quick glance at his watch one more time. His dad should really start to hurry up unless he wanted to be late, and while it might be fine to be fashionable late at the ball, it wasn't the best reputation to show to his mother whom they were supposed to be pick up first.

He let out a relieved sigh when he saw his dad coming downstairs with Grace. "You are running late dad," he told him and got a nod in return. His grandma started to gush over his dad, admiring how good he looked in a tux, and again complaining about why she couldn't drive in in the same car as he. The worst was when she for a brief moment wondered why she couldn't be his plus one. He looked over at Grace, who rolled her eyes, in way that was quite similar to what their mother would have done.

"You know why not mom." His dad explained as he put on his coat. Zach knew if they started to get into that one they would be even more late, and one would need to make sure that didn't happen.

"Dad have you remembered the package, you told me to remind you not to leave without the other day?" He asked hoping that would break up whatever could easily start to be another long discussion between his dad and grandma about his mom, and his parent's marriage.

His dad looked confused for a second but then realized what Zach was talking about.

"No, thank you for reminding me." He said before he turned around and hurried in the direction of his office. Zach caught Grace looking at him curiously, probably hoping to get a hint of what he might know. He smiled back at her and whispered a "later" to her, as he with his head motioned to his grandma. He would tell Grace about the gift, his dad had showed him a few days before, meant for their mom. However he knew if his grandma learned about the expensive and exclusive gift, she wouldn't like it at all and it would lead to a discussion here and now.

His grandma might be grateful that their mother was helping their dad in his campaign, but it still didn't mean she had forgiven her for, in her words hurting their dad, by moving him out the day he was reelected and should be happy. Zach himself was pretty sure the day his dad would be happiest of all was if Alicia ever forgave him and gave him another chance. But he always kept that thought to himself, after all it would only lead to more fighting with his grandma, and even worse if she mentioned it to his dad which would lead to fighting there as well as he had no doubt his dad would take Alicia's side.

He knew all to well now that their dad hurting their mother further was the reason they had separated in the first place, and if they really wanted a chance to work it out, like it seemed they might at the moment, he didn't want his grandma to complicate it further than it already was.

His dad returned and he saw him put the box into his pocket, maybe his dad didn't want his grandma to know about it either.

"Okay I think I am ready. Do you three have all your things?" His dad asked. Grace hugged their dad, and he heard her whisper what looked like a "prince". As Zach looked over at his grandma he almost laughed, she looked expectantly at their dad, clearly waiting for the usually kiss on the cheek, as well as expecting him to at least walk her to the car even if she wasn't allowed to drive with him. His dad gave her the kiss she expected and held out his arm for her to take. Zach saw her lean in and whisper something to his dad but he couldn't hear what it had been.

"Mom!" his dad told her slightly annoyed it seemed, what had she now said? He wondered.

"But Peter..." The look his dad gave her made her shut up, and Zach had no doubt that whatever she had said it was about mom. Damn it, Zach silently cursed.

"Dad we should hurry up, you don't want to be late." Well at least he could count on Grace always stepping in if it meant furthering her project in getting their parents back together.

"Yes, you are right." their dad agreed, he looked over at Zach.

"Thank you for remembering." His dad's lips mimed to him. Zach nodded glad he had remembered about the present.

"No problem." He told him. His dad nodded once more and opened the door for them and guided their grandma outside and helped her get into the town car. Zach and Grace followed them out and Zach made sure to lock up so his dad wouldn't need to. He played nice after and held out his arm for Grace who laughed at the gesture but took it anyways. They met their dad on the way out to the town cars, probably on his way back to lock up.

"I already locked up dad." Zach told him.

"Thanks... also remember what we talked about earlier, we are allowing you both to come tonight, because it is the celebration of my nomination, but you are not allowed to stay all night. You and grandma won't stay past midnight, after all we are only allowing you to skip the first two lessons tomorrow." They both nodded and followed him down. Zach wished they had let them skip the entire day tomorrow so he could have stayed all night and that they would have allowed him to bring Nisa as his date but none of that had been allowed. They were only allowed to go because they had heard Kresteva's family had gone to a similar event for him and because it was after all the celebration of his dad had wining the democratic nomination against Maddie. So for once their mother had bended and agreed that they could go.